When You Know
by aca-everything
Summary: For everybody it's different. You can either fall slowly, delicately and with grace. Watching every moment and recognising every interaction as just another reason. Or you fall suddenly. Like off a building and you don't really realise it until it's too late. Terrible metaphors but maybe a decent description of how Chloe and Beca meet. And truly, when they know.
1. It wasn't planned

So this has been sitting on my desk since about February hastily scrawled in a notebook. And I'm hoping that by finally typing up and uploading the first chapter will spur me on and I'll finish writing this plot bunny that has hopped it's way around my head for seven months.

First Multi-fic so wish me luck. (I predict only four chapters... hopefully)

And a huge supermegaawesomefoxyhot shoutout to every single person that has favourited and followed my stories or me as an author. And this who took the time to review. Seriously thank you. It's so humbling.

**Disclaimer: **You know the drill, the only thing I own is my grammatical mistakes and poor excuse for humour.

* * *

Chloe knew.

She was always that type that just _knew._ And it wasn't like it phased her or anything either, she was always willing to just accept things as they came; she had no idea when it started but at some point she fell in love with Beca Mitchell. And she had been for quite a while now.

And it's not her fault this cute, small, badass DJ walked into her life a year ago, trailing away from the Bella's booth with a smirk on her face and an offended Aubrey, (frankly she found their whole interaction hilarious, but it wasn't like she was going to tell Aubrey that). And she hadn't _planned_ to jump in on her while in the shower. To be honest, she didn't even _know_ it was the same girl. She was casually having some down time with Tom and just... _daayym that voice. _Not only that, but _that voice_ singing her **_Lady Jam, _**how could anybody resist that?

It was all touch and go- she still hadn't even found out her name until auditions where she swaggers in late and "didn't know they had to prepare that song" and- come on, _everybody_ knows that song, but she can't help her curiosity at what the mysterious girl with the simplistic tattoos and alternative style **had **prepared, so she's waves Aubrey's regulations off and tells the girl she can sing whatever she likes, and well... **_daayym._**

Looking back, it was probably around this point that the redhead knew she was hooked. When Hood Night came around Chloe couldn't help but be intrigued (and maybe even enthralled) by Beca and yeah- ok, _maybe_ there was a hint of jealousy after seeing her act all cosy towards the Treble boy. It also didn't help that Tom was bored that night and decided to crash the aca-party, but _meh _ –she was drunk, and he was there, and the Treble was flirting with Beca.

Except... he wasn't, well; he wasn't _for now_, but the way he was stumbling over seats towards the beer keg it looked like he wouldn't be too long. So Chloe jumped on the chance, and maybe, accidently jumped on Beca too.

"I'm _so _glad I met you!" A_wesome start, _"I think we're going to be fast friends." _Fast friends? Not good friends? Ugh Chloe, your drunk is showing._ But she couldn't help it, with Beca's breath so close, and hands, so warm enveloped in her own, Chloe couldn't help but think _yes, I could get used to this._

And then Beca goes and references to being naked in the shower supplied with a seductive wink, Chloe's words get stuck in her throat; so it's probably best to remedy this with more drinks.

And later, when she hears someone shout something about kings, she looks back and sees Beca with a drink in hand, and the Treble boy ..._damn._

The next day didn't go as smoothly as Chloe had hoped. Two girls are kicked out, Aubrey nearly throws up, and Beca seems intent on commenting on – well, everything. And hell forbid if Amy did ANY cardio that day.  
Chloe did like these new Bella's better than the old ones; they were light-hearted and entertaining. But there's only so much they can amuse you before you become tired; for example spending a whole ten minutes trying to stop Stacie groping herself.  
Suppose there are always some things in life deemed impossible.

And then Beca keeps screwing up her hand movements and Chloe flashbacks to Hood Night and how amazing they felt and can't help coming up behind Beca and guiding her wrists.

"I... I can do it"

And that was probably the cutest thing Chloe's ever heard in her life.

Practice ends, and Aubrey expresses everything to Beca she had previously complained about to Chloe the night before in a drunken ramble, except this time she's sober and maybe a little more riled up by Beca's cocky smirk and sarcastic remarks.

"I can see your toner though those jeans!"

"That's my dick!"

And that's probably the hottest thing Chloe's ever heard.

Days pass, and Chloe acquires Beca's number and texts her incessantly until Beca replies. All Chloe can do is smile and send one more: _"Told you! Fast friends. Coffee?"_

_"Sure."_

She begins noticing in between classes Beca likes to sit on the quad with her laptop and lose herself in her headphones. And she has to stop herself from skipping across the grass and stealing them, desperate to know what she's listening to.  
But for the first time in her life, Chloe begins to understand social boundaries.  
... sort of.

A few days later she sees her again, except this time with the Treble boy (her sources tell her that his name is Jesse) and she's set to walk away until she gets a text _"What the fuck is a riff off?"_ She looks back over to see Jesse laughing his head off (metaphorically) and Beca tucking her phone way. She decides this is her opening, so she dodges the group of people leaping around in a circle and makes her way over.

"The Riff-Off is a competition between aca-groups, it's mostly just a bit of fun where we counter each other's songs and back our own group up"

Beca's startled at the voice behind her but relaxes when she realises who it is, Jesse however, looks a little forlorn from the interruption and suddenly feeling like a third wheel, he awkwardly excuses himself.

_...Good._

"So... a competition?"

"You'll see tonight, don't worry." She flashes Beca one of her award-winning-Beale smile and relaxes down onto the grass next to her. "So... you and Jesse eh?"

"We're just friends."

"Looked like more than friends," she had stated it playfully rather than accusatory but it still caused Beca to pause.

"I've already told Aubrey it's none of her business-"

"- No! I'm not spying or anything. I was just asking. We're friends, I was asking as your friend."

"Oh." Beca relaxes back onto her hands and sighs, "I think he likes me, but I think it's because he lives in this fantasy world where his life is like a movie, and I'm the girl the guy gets."

"... do you want to be that girl?"

"Ugh, no. I mean... maybe. I like Jesse but I don't think it's anything more than friendship. Besides, I hate movies. WAY too predictable"

"You hate movies?!"

"Yeah"

Welp, there goes Chloe's suggestion of hanging out on the weekend. "What do you do in your spare time then?"

"Music, or read, or sleep"

Chloe just nodded in response and was trying to think of some way to hang out when Beca checked her phone and suddenly jumped up "crap. I gotta go to class, see you tonight."

Now, when you're crushing on someone, it's hard not to already think quite highly of them, and it definitely doesn't help when they rush out into the middle of the pool floor and begin rapping solo. And that now stood, with each word rolling effortlessly off her tongue, as the sexiest thing Chloe has witnessed.

Weeks pass and it becomes a routine every Sunday afternoon (during one of Aubrey's many Law Study group sessions in the library) Beca will come round to Chloe's and they'd sit, and talk, and just hang out, and study together. (Beca on her laptop or reading a book and Chloe with her textbooks and notepads) And yeah, things couldn't have been going more perfect.

Regional's arrive and they scrape through, and then Beca goes and punches some forty year old guy and all hell breaks loose.

And probably the worst thing is when Aubrey stops Chloe from following her to the police station and Jesse goes instead. "I can bail her out!" She protests.

"Jesse said he was covering it Chloe. Now come on, I'll go grab the scoresheets and we'll head back for a Bella's meeting."

"Are we gonna wait for Beca for this meeting?"

Aubrey sighs, "By the time Beca gets out, the auditorium will be locked!"

"Then why don't we meet in her room?" It was Amy that asked the question and stops Chloe's train of thought. She'd never actually been in Beca's dorm room before. Any time that they'd hang out they would meet at either Chloe's or at the coffee shop down the road, and Chloe couldn't contain her excitement at the opportunity to open the door a little wider to the mystery of Beca Mitchell.

"That sounds like a great idea!"

Aubrey sighs again before conceding to their requests "Okay okay. When we get back to campus we'll wait for Beca in her dorm room, wherever that is" she negotiates, crossing her arms.

"Baker Hall" Cynthia Rose comments, "But can we please get out of these ridiculous clothes first?" The Bella's all mumble in agreement and this time Aubrey rolls her eyes.

"Okay, we'll get changed and meet at Baker Hall in an hour, good?"

Unfortunately Beca isn't back by the time the Bella's meet up, so after an awkward knock and a rushed explanation to uncaring ears the nine girls find themselves squashed into Beca's half of the room, with constant glares from her roommate.

Chloe can't help herself; she looks around and takes in everything Beca, her closet containing those skinny jeans and cargo pants, and noticeably- no dresses. Her shelves stacked with CD's and records, a record player tucked to the side. Her school books scattered on the floor by the foot of her bed, rather than her desk which is taken up mostly by a keyboard, her MAC, and something like a music desk. Huh.

It's about now that Chloe understands just exactly **how much** Beca loves music.

They just sit and talk in quiet voices (otherwise they receive another classic-Kimmy Jin-glare) and wait. Its two hours until they hear the footsteps outside, and the rattle of the door opening. Chloe's not sure about everyone else, but she sees it: Beca's tired eyes and slumped form, only for a second before she composes herself into the cocky Beca that Chloe realises only now might just be a facade.

"WHAT UP SHAWSHANK!"

Aubrey begins the meeting only to be interrupted by Beca once again, but this time she goes to her computer and opens up a program. And then it all makes sense; the turntable, the piano, the program, and Beca's constant comments about 'mixing things up'. Beca didn't just _listen_ to music, she _creates _it.  
"I didn't know you were into this stuff."

"I-yeah"

And suddenly Chloe is eager as hell to see this part of Beca, to _hear_ this part of Beca, and can't help speaking up when Aubrey stops them again "It's pretty cool." Her comment is ignored and the Bella's meeting finishes, but Chloe can't help but notice that Beca is doing everything she can to hold it together. So when everyone files out, Chloe stays behind.

Beca's standing up now, her eyebrows raised in question as Chloe closes the door and turns to her. "Becs" she says as she moves closer "are you okay?" she notices her bruised knuckles and untidy demeanour and before she can react properly Beca is falling into her for a hug. Nothing catches Chloe off guard more but she wraps her arms around the brunette's shoulders and holds Beca tightly as the young girl shivers in her arms, obvious that she's close to crying. Chloe doesn't say anything, but instead holds her tighter and closes her eyes, taking in everything Beca for as long as the moment may last.

The realisation hits her suddenly; this was the first time Beca actually initiated any contact, and Chloe can't help but like that. Love it. Yep, standing there in the middle of the room holding Beca is when Chloe realises she's in love. And maybe doesn't mind one bit.

When the embrace finally finishes Beca slumps onto her bed, leaning against the sideboard. "Prison wasn't THAT bad, was it?" Chloe asks in a feeble attempt at a joke.

Beca rubs her eyes the palms of her hands, obvious that she's exhausted before letting out a shaky "Jesse... he... he called my Dad"

"okay..." Chloe hadn't really heard much about... well, anything about Beca's life.

"And I yelled at him."

"Your Dad?"

"No, well yes. But Jesse too."

"I see..."

"And my Dad wants to cut me off LA." Beca slides down her bed and lays her head on the pillow, with Chloe sitting next to her. None of it really made any sense, but Chloe figures that can be left for another day. So she pulls the corners of the blankets over the already half-asleep Beca and gets up to leave. She makes it to the door before she hears a faint "Chloe?"

"Yeah?"

"... thank you."

"Anytime Becs." And with that she leaves. The way back to her apartment is slow, and Chloe can't help but wish she was still back in that room with Beca.


	2. Over time

So this chapter was so much longer than I expected! And I apologise for the wait, my excuse is a mixture of 'life', and 'I'm stuck in a suffocating writers block' sort of thing.  
Also, I've realised my summary may be misleading. I can assure you there will be no Sherlockian-style building jump in this story.

Next chapter may take a while because a) I will no longer have the movie as a point of reference and b) I'm also working on the final chapter for "Bechloe Week" Enjoy!

* * *

Although Beca doesn't initiate physical contact again after that, she does start letting Chloe hang out in her room- which is an improvement- though it leaves Chloe itching to listen to her mixes. But Beca has those under lock and key for some reason and will instead opt to put on a record for background music.

Chloe swears Beca is the most unique person she has ever met.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"About what?" Beca turns away from her computer and looks at Chloe with genuine confusion.

"About last week."

This receives silence, as Beca considers her next words "we already talked about it."

"Rebecca Mitchell, you know full well we hardly talked at all"

"Ugh fine! But please don't ever use my full name again." She replies.

"What... Rebecca?"

"Yeah"

"Why?"

"Just don't." Silence falls again.

"... so?"

Beca sighs a little too loud, in obvious attempt to be dramatic "_fine_, what do you want to know?"

"You said you yelled at him?"

"My Dad?"

"Yeah, no, well yes. And Jesse."

"I did."

"What did you say?"

"Something along the lines of '_you're not my boyfriend'_"

"Ouch"

"Yeah. Well, he isn't." She defended feebly.

"did you apologise?" Jesse was one of those guys that you can't help but like. Even though he had successfully taken a large portion of Beca's attention. _Damn that guy. _

"Yeah, on Monday during our work shift."

"And he's okay?"

"I think the words had stung a bit, but overall he's fine."

"... And your Dad cut you off?"

"What?"

"From LA"

At this Beca grew a little nervous, her hand rising to rub the back of her neck "Yeah"

"What does that even mean Beca?"

Another dramatic sigh, but with it she rose from the chair and settled down on her bed next to Chloe. "My Dad sort of teaches here"

"Wait... Dr Mitchell?!"

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"Becs, I'm majoring in English. I took his Comparative Literature class last year. Great teacher." She commented.

"Great teacher, not so great Dad." The bitter tone was not unnoticed, and in response, Chloe took Beca's hand helping to give some kind of comfort. "Anyway, I didn't want to be here. I planned to go to LA and start trying to make it in the music industry. But according to him, it's not a worthwhile career and I'm obviously going to fail. So he forced me to come here instead."

"So that was him cutting you off?" This whole topic was ridiculously confusing.

"No, well yeah. But at the beginning of the year, he wanted me to 'get involved' with college life. We pretty much made the deal that if I tried, then he'd help me to go to LA next year, if I was still interested in leaving."

"And are you? Still... interested in leaving?" She felt the weight of this question on her mind – and dare she say it – heart. _Ugh that's corny Chloe, seriously what is Beca doing to you?_

"Of course"_ Oh fuck _"It's my dream."

Chloe could only nod in response as she processed this information; Beca was going to leave at the end of the year. "I'll miss you."

"Yeah, same. But you're graduating too anyway right?"

"Yeah." Well, sort of. Chloe was graduating but she and Aubrey had talked about staying local for another year or two, gain work experience, and save money before moving to New York. She considered telling Beca this, but what difference would it make? Beca was leaving. "So is everything okay now? Between you and your Dad?"

"Well, I'm hoping if the Bella's win finals he might change his mind. Would certainly be easier than changing Aubrey's" She commented dryly.

"How come you never let me listen to your music?" Chloe blurted out, taking Beca by surprise.

"You- you never asked."

"Wait, what?!" Chloe shuffled her position on the bed, all the while staring at Beca aghast "All I had to do was ask?! I just assumed they were personal and didn't want to overstep any boundaries!"

"Chloe Beale, when have you ever respected boundaries?" She joked, getting up and walking to her computer, saving and closing her half written essay and opening her music folder. "I mean, some of these _are_ personal edits- like how I feel, or about someone, or inspired by something. But I have other mixes as well; generic ones, club music that I've given to Luke."

"Oh... so only Luke's heard them?"

Beca laughed at this "I doubt it. But Jesse listened to one, and he liked it."

Chloe bit down on her tongue trying to keep her jealously at bay "Jesse listened to them? When?"

"One" Beca corrected "And I don't know, just before Regionals? He came over to watch a movie and asked about them. He listened for maybe thirty seconds, said it was good, and then brought out the Breakfast Club."

"Ooh, I love that movie! But he only listened for half a minute?" _Play it cool Chloe._

"Yeah." She stopped her movements and turned back to Chloe "but- please don't tell Aubrey. The last thing I need is her to know I spend one-on-one time with a _Treble" _She said in a mocking voice "and instantly assume we're..._toning." _She smirked and turned back to her music, but the ideas she left in Chloe's head made her stomach drop.

"No... no- of course not." An awkward silence fell between them. Chloe still poised on the bed, and Beca slumped in her desk chair. "So... can I hear one?"

A chuckle and a mouse click later, Beca was extending her headphones to Chloe, who quirked an eyebrow "We both can't listen?"

"It's better this way" Beca replied, nudging the headphones closer and pressing play. Whatever reservations Beca had about showing Chloe (evident by her nervous finger tapping against the desk) dissipated instantly as she observed Chloe's open reaction of pure joy to the music that was cascading through her mind.

Chloe couldn't help it, this was fucking eargasmic, and she began to sing a little, eagerly bobbing her head and tapping her foot to the music, eliciting a laugh from Beca. One of her best laughs, the one where she is relaxed, and open, and her whole being is just... _happy. _Chloe loved that laugh, but she didn't see it often. "Can I hear another?" She asked enthusiastically when the music faded out and the headphones were removed.

Beca laughed again and gave a contemplative look towards Chloe before opening the top drawer of her desk and taking out one of many flash-drives. "How about I just give you a few to listen to later, so that you're not late to class this time."

"What?!" Chloe gasped, pulling out her phone and checking the time "shit, creative writing is in like, five minutes!"

"I know." Was the cheeky reply as she inserted the drive and threw a few files onto it.

Chloe was shoving her books unceremoniously into her bag when she paused and straightened up "wait... you know my timetable?" she couldn't help the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth "stalker."

"Says the girl who barged in here forty minutes ago knowing I didn't have a class either. Not to mention the shower incident. _Stalker_."

"Shush, I'm running late." She hopped on one foot to slip her shoe on and gratefully took the drive from Beca "talk later!"

* * *

She didn't hear the door open, but she did hear Aubrey's footsteps down the hall as she walked into their shared apartment. "What are you listening to?" Came the disembodied voice that softly broke through Beca's mixes.

"Nothing." She replied, taking out her earphones and swivelling round on the stool she was sitting on, her laptop perched on the kitchen counter. Chloe then took in the blonde's dishevelled appearance, as she walked past and down the corridor, "you okay?"

"Long day" came the mutter travelling down the hall. Chloe heard her open her bedroom door, and the rustling of papers. "Greg's sick" she added, shouting across the apartment. "You remember Greg?"

"Uh... the guy from Law?" Aubrey reappeared from round the corner, carrying her laptop and a small stack of papers.

"Economics" she corrected, putting her stuff down on the counter. "Anyway, he's sick and can't finish his part of the group project, so I have to write another four thousand words on this essay"

"Wait, why do **you **have to do it?"

"Charlotte's taken over the making of the diagrams, and Rob's out for the weekend at his parent's, but he's done most of the research for us. So that leaves me. But I have Law study group in about two hours." She sighed, and crossed the kitchen to retrieve a bottle of water from the fridge.

Chloe shook her head in disbelief "I can't believe you manage to do all of that"

"Barely" She rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands.

"Still not sleeping well?"  
"Well, it's better 'Stress-Insomnia' than 'Stress-Vomiting' eh?" she took a swig of her water, and absentmindedly shuffled her papers into a neat pile.

"It's better to not be stressed at all! Do you ever take the time to just... sit and relax?"

Aubrey shook her head and chuckled, sitting down onto the stool next to Chloe's "No time, I have four thousand words to write"

"It's only Friday! You have all weekend!"

"I have other classes than just economics Chloe"

"Then just- allow yourself a break? Here! Listen to these aca-awesome mixes." Chloe pulled her earphones out of her computer and was about to press play when Aubrey stopped her hand, leaning in curiously to look at the labelled files.

"Mixes? Where did you get these mixes?"

"I- well, Beca made them and-"

"I'm not interested" she interrupted, her voice clipped.

"They're really good Aubrey, like _really _good, I think you'll-"

"So what?" Aubrey barked, turning furiously to Chloe and ignoring the papers that she accidently knocked and scattered across the table top with her hand."Beca's now got you doing her dirty work? God, do I ever get a break from her insolent pestering-"

"No! Bree, it's not like that! She didn't say anything, she just gave me them, but I thought-"

"Chloe, you know our existing setlist will get us to finals! _You _of all people know! I can't handle this right now I can't handle you turning on me too-"

"I'm not turning on you" she pressed "I'm just saying Beca has this extra special something that could-"

"Beca is a rebellious _child _who has no respect for authority. She _hardly _fits any sort of tradition the Bella's hold; hell – she's **_not _**a Bella Chloe, not really. We both know that."

Chloe's eyes were now downcast as she tried to control her breathing. "Those songs might get us to finals" she whispered "but it doesn't mean we'll win with them."

And with that she snapped her laptop shut and stormed off to her room.

* * *

Weeks passed and before they knew it the semi-finals day had arrived. Aubrey was off with Amy to pick up the bus that they had rented (for some strange reason the Australian was the one who insisted on driving, and all anyone could do was shrug and agree while secretly hoping she wouldn't veer onto the wrong side of the road) And Chloe was finishing getting ready and grabbing something for lunch. She heard one of Beca's mixes start up in the background as she entered the kitchen and grabbed some bread to put in the toaster. Humming the familiar tune she reached for the cupboard and pulled out the honey, and then she proceeded to drop it. _Oh my god. _She hadn't been playing the mixes on her computer that morning, but Aubrey had turned on the radio, _her mixes were on the radio._ She jumped for her phone and texted Beca, smiling when a response came seconds later with a simple **'What?!'**

The smug grin she shared to Chloe when they boarded the bus was priceless.

Luckily Amy didn't crash the bus, but a burrito did crash into her, and consequently they run out of petrol. A torturous (or in other words: watching Jesse makes googly eyes at Beca the whole time) bus ride with the Trebles later, they arrived at the centre and prepared for their second fight to finals. But then the footnotes performed and all hopes of winning were lost, until of course, their rendition of "I Saw The Sign" when Beca jumps in with an impromptu mash up and. It. Was. Amazing.

It **_was _**amazing. Until Aubrey shoves through the group, her heels clicking unforgivingly against the hard floor backstage. "What the hell Beca!"

Over these past months, Chloe had gotten to know Beca, like _really _know her. She knew Beca wasn't expecting to make friends here, she knew that she had; and was vulnerable and frightened by that. And Chloe knew that all the months she had spent convincing Beca that 'friendship is amazing' and 'letting people in isn't a weakness. It allows their support' all went down the drain the minute she avoids her eye.

"I told you she wasn't a Bella"

"Aubrey, don't."

"No, that's okay. You don't have to pretend you're allowed to have a say in the group, right?"

Her chest ached, lungs stopped working at full capacity, and words stuck in her throat. Guilt.

"If this is what I get for trying..." And before Chloe knew it, Beca was walking away.

"Aubrey, that actually went really well-"

"Chloe, stop!"

Everything was happening at once, smug Trebles were strutting on stage, and a hurt Jesse was recollecting his features and pushing through the group, Beca was out of sight and Benji had returned with a dismal shake of his head. The Bella's were standing around aimlessly and all Chloe could muster was to resort back to her natural instinct, which was follow Aubrey to the bathrooms and without any words shared between the two, she held back her hair.

Beca didn't come back that night.

The Bella's all stay in silence. Silence when it's announced they had lost, silence when they discover Beca's bags are gone, silence when no-one receives a reply to their worried texts, and silence when they endure endless bragging from Bumper on one of the longest bus rides to have existed.

Chloe receives silence from Beca. And with each **_"are you okay?" _**and**_ "Please talk to me, I'm sorry"_** text that goes ignored it becomes a little more heartbreaking.  
Aubrey receives silence from Chloe. And when the bus finally arrives back at Barden, the two split ways; Chloe reaching Baker Hall in record time and tapping nervously on the door.

"She isn't here" was the monotonous reply from her Korean roommate.

"Where is she?"

"I don't know. Out." And the door closed.

* * *

Spring break came deceptively fast, and Chloe was on a train heading home. She hadn't told Aubrey about her operation, and she didn't plan to, both still living in a passive aggressive mode and pretending they couldn't hear each other's muffled cries every night. Their friendship had cracked, but both were unwilling to let go of the constant in their life that had been their support and sanity for the previous three years.

But this was life, and things fell apart. Friendships fell apart, the Bella's fell apart, her voice fell apart, and her resolve was pretty close too.

Nevertheless, she succumbs to the anaesthesia and before she knows it, Chloe is waking up with a slightly sore throat and a doctor telling her to keep it rested for a few days. But a day later, when she receives an excited text from Aubrey stating that they're back in the competition, it takes all of her willpower not to scream.

And too much ease to text Beca. (To no reply, _of course_)

The week goes by and Chloe spends all her time and energy on getting her voice back to decent condition (and not checking Beca's facebook or listening to her on the radio, nope not at all.) And before she knows it, she's standing back in front of her off-campus apartment; she takes a deep breath, picks up her bags, and makes her way inside.

Aubrey is sitting at the kitchen counter, a cup of tea in hand, and lazily reading from her text book. She glances up when Chloe walks through the door and makes eye contact before breaking it, staring at the floor and pursing her lips.  
"It's okay" Chloe sighs, even though she knows it really isn't, but none of it _should_ matter because they're back in the competition and have a chance to redeem themselves.

And for a while things are good. Late that afternoon is the emergency Bella's meeting and Chloe bites her lip at the prospect of seeing Beca again, double (and maybe triple) checking her phone for any incoming texts. Aubrey had left ten minutes ago for the auditorium to prepare the space and write their plan on the board, so she pulls on her boots, takes one look at the empty apartment, and sets off.

She bumps into Jesse. _Of course she bumps into Jesse. _ Luckily it wasn't a literal bump, but it was a near miss and they both stumble back and apologise, hands nervously fidgeting with their clothes.

"Hi"

"Hey" he replies scratching the back of his neck. "How are you?"

"Good. Good... what-uh, what are you up to?" Anyone who cared to look over to the middle of the quad at 4pm on a lazy afternoon would have easily gauged how awkward an interaction this was, fortunately those who did pass paid them no mind.

"Just gonna go to my dorm and chill or something... maybe watch a movie. Uh, how 'bout you?"

"Oh, I've got Bella's rehearsals actually..."

"Oh yeah! Yeah, I heard about that. Congratulations."

"Thanks." It wasn't like the two didn't get along. Actually in any other scenario their interactions were pleasant and bordering on friendly, but it had been through Beca they had met and Beca that they were both vying for, and without the connection of Beca in this circumstance, well it uncomfortable to say the least.

"Have you heard from her, from Beca?" she couldn't help but ask.

"No. Well, yeah, sort of. She's uh- she's been leaving me messages and stuff but I just haven't... I haven't replied yet."

Chloe's head was spinning and her chest restricting to the point where she was finding it hard to breathe, "What about you, has she, has she-"

"No." Was the curt reply, taking a slow deep breath to clear her head "She hasn't. I've tried calling and texting her a few times but I dunno" she shook her head in defeat "I guess she wants to push me away."

"I'm sorry." He did look genuinely sorry. And the two stood there for a few seconds in their own thoughts.

"Yeah, well... yeah. Anyway, I better be off, or I'm going to be late for the meeting..."

"Yeah, right. I'll see you then." She started moving forward until she felt a light hand on her arm, turning back she saw Jesse open and close his mouth, trying to find the right words. "And Chloe? ... good luck."

Whether or not he meant with the competition or with Beca it didn't matter. She threw him a weak smile and small nod before pulling away and heading to the auditorium.

She arrived with Aubrey just starting her lecture, and with Beca on her mind, (and absent from the bleachers) she couldn't help but blurt out "I texted Beca."

"You did what?"

"She makes us better." That was it, everything Beca had been trying to tell Chloe for the whole school year and only now she realised the full extent of it.

"That's not an opinion for you to have Chloe."

"Why? Because it's not yours? You're not always right you know"  
"We will win without her." Chloe was a passive person, and the last thing she wanted to engage in was a fight. So with that, she bit her tongue, and sat down.

Except as the hours dragged on, with endless repetition of practice and Aubrey's constant scolding in their ears, it became increasingly more and more difficult to keep her cool.

"Maybe if Aubrey loosened the reins a little bit-"

"Okay shut it Chloe! Oh, I'm sorry, that was rude. Chloe, can you please get your head out of your ass, it's not a hat."

_Keep. Cool._

"Seriously girls, can you at least _try _to do the set right this time?"

_Keepcool._

"We _are_ trying Aubrey, we've been practicing for hours, this set just isn't going to work anymore-"

"Can you stop Chloe! This set is fine. It'll be fine. You're obviously not dedicated enough-"

_Keep-_

"No! You know what? I have been there for you for so many years, and all you do is treat me like shit!"

_-Cool._

"Aubrey, you're too controlling, and it's going to ruin all of us!"

"I can lose control if I want to! I can let go! This time I'm not gonna choke it down!" And she didn't.

Chloe had seen this before. She was used this sort of thing, and ignoring the horrified screams of the Bella's behind her, she couldn't help but feel that Aubrey was acting childish.

"Come on, you can do better than that!" And okay, maybe she was a little bit too. But _screw cool. _"WE COULD HAVE BEEN CHAMPIONS."

A week. A whole week since she had seen Beca, since she had even heard from Beca. A week since she had any sort of _communication with Beca._ But alas, it was the moment in which she was currently wrestling with Aubrey for a pitch pipe that was barely grazing her fingertips, whilst being pulled back in a headlock under the crushing weight of Fat Amy, that Beca decides to walk in.

"Guys? Guys stop! What is going on?"

_Embarrassment... or shame. Or maybe anger towards you. Definitely annoyance with Aubrey and- __**damn **__did you just apologise?_

  
Needless to say Chloe was having mixed emotions about the whole thing. And somehow, they had ended up in a share circle in which Beca spoke about tongue touching (that was an image she needed to get out of her head _now_) and bed bugs, and her previous lack of emotional connections with girls. The next five minutes was dedicated to Fat Amy's- uh... Patricia's random- yet enlightening- past deeds, and Chloe finally built the courage to confess about her surgery.

There was a "what do we do?" and a "maybe not here" with a "remix this business" and Chloe found herself in a somewhat romantic and simultaneously heartbreaking duet with Beca.

_'Girl you're amazing, just the way you are-'_

_'-But it was only just a dream"_

And when things were said and done, and hands were in, a surprise note emitting from Chloe (and frankly Lily too) the girls parted ways for the night, with plans for a morning meeting to discuss their new playlist.

"Uh-"Fingers wrapped around her wrist, and Chloe turned to see the owner, biting her lip at Beca's nervous expression "hey Chlo."

"Hey."

"I just-" the hand was still on her wrist, and it gripped a little tighter, the redhead moved her own to hold Beca's and squeezed it reassuringly.

"It's okay." It wasn't. But Chloe still found that lie rolling effortlessly off her tongue for the second time that day.

"No. No it isn't." She breathed in deeply before expelling it with a huff. "What I did- Chlo, you're my best friend- I shouldn't have-" She ran her free hand through her hair and paused to collect the words in her head. "I pushed you away when all you did was care about me. I- It was wrong and I'm really sorry."

"I should have stood up for you that night Becs, and _I'm sorry _for letting you down." Beca pulled her in for a hug, and she rested her chin on the younger girls shoulder, allowing herself the few seconds to hold Beca again. She entertained the idea of shifting her head and pulling Beca into a kiss, or stroking her face and finally admitting her feelings for the brunette because there in Beca's arms her emotions had started to boil over. But she knew the moment wasn't right. She _knew _that Beca had to reach her level first, and initiate it. Otherwise she could possibly lose her. "So" she said, when they broke from the hug and pulled their jackets tighter around themselves "what songs do you think you'll use?"

"I honestly don't know" Beca sighed "but I'm sure the girls will have some good suggestions" (and they did, especially once Aubrey had refused 'Call Me Maybe' and 'Sexy Back')

"What about the mashup we just did?"

Beca glanced over to the spot that the Bella's had been singing in only a few minutes ago "It was good, sure. But we can totally do better" she grinned "Oh! But I do sort of want to use one song... hopefully."

"What's that?"

"'Don't You Forget About Me' I hope it'll mix well..."

"From The Breakfast Club?"

"Yeah! That one. I just... I really need to make an apology." At Chloe's questioning stare she elaborated "... to Jesse."

"Oh."

"Yeah, I... I was pretty harsh on him." Her fingers scratched a spot right behind her ear "and he's the type of guy with his head so high in movies that only a dramatic statement would allow him to forgive me."

"Or he could just forgive you because he cares about you?" Okay Chloe was annoyed. And probably jealous, but Beca **_had _**made an effort to contact him over spring break, what more could the guy demand?!

"Yeah" she laughed "you'd think it'd be that easy. Anyway, it's getting late and we have an 8am rehearsal tomorrow sooo..."

"yeah. Yeah. Goodnight Becs."

"Night."

* * *

When she opened the door to the apartment she wasn't expecting to see Aubrey making tea in the kitchen. "Hey."

The blonde turned around and put her mug down on the counter "hey" she said weakly.

"... What are you still doing up?" Chloe asked, taking her shoes off and dropping her keys into the bowl by the door.

"I was waiting for you actually." She sighed, then turned around and lifted another mug "I made you some tea."

"Thanks." Chloe walked across the apartment and gratefully took the cup from Aubrey, taking a small sip and recoiling at how hot the liquid was.

"You were right. From the beginning you were right. And you _have __**always**_ been there for me and I should have treated you the way you deserve. I'm sorry Chloe."

"You'll always be my best friend Aubrey." Chloe went to the freezer and grabbed two ice cubes to drop into her tea "But if you do something like this again, I'm not gonna be afraid to call you out on your shit." She tried to keep a serious expression but the wide grin broke through her resolve. They fell into a comfortable silence, both leaning against opposite sides of the kitchen counter and sipping their teas. "Thanks for giving Beca a chance" she eventually mumbled.

Aubrey looked up from her mug and surveyed Chloe for a few seconds. "You like her, don't you?" she asked softly.

"I – yeah."

"You should tell her."

She sighed "I was going to... but it wasn't right, you know? It needs to be right" She nodded reassuringly to herself.

"Well, hopefully it will be 'right' before it's too late. And frankly Chloe, she'd be an idiot not to like you."

"You think?" She asked quietly.

"Chlo" Aubrey stated "You ambushed her in the shower naked, and she didn't report you to campus security. I'm pretty sure that says something" She turned away smirking and rinsed her empty cup out, leaving it to dry. "I'll see you in the morning." And with that she disappeared to her room.

The next few weeks were extremely stressful, but they were also hands down the most gratifying part of Chloe's senior year. Beca and Aubrey were actually bonding, the girls all had a say in song choices and choreography, and the enthusiasm of the group had grown to a whole new level. This was it; _this_ is what it meant to be a part of the Bellas.

And so when Finals arrived Chloe was positive that they were going to win, and with Beca sticking so close to her side, their arms constantly grazing as they watched the other performances before heading backstage, she thought maybe now, now might be the right time. They grabbed their microphones one by one, and nervously twisting on her own, she was willing herself the courage to whisper into Beca's ear the reality of her feelings. But Beca had stepped forward, and struck up a conversation with Jesse, and Chloe could see their awkward stances, and their desire to say more than just the simple words of "good luck" and "thanks, you too" and maybe now wasn't the right time. But it was soon.

The Treble's performance was exceptional, but not enough; because the minute the Bella's finished their set they knew they had it in the bag. All of her senses were overwhelmed, the crowd was deafening with their supportive cheers, the girls laughing and crying and singing and hugging. Pride, and excitement, and complete unadulterated _happiness _was bubbling up inside of her and overflowing on the blindingly lit stage and _this was the moment. _They began to make their way off stage and she turned to Beca, reaching out to grab her arm, but Lily distracted her with words of congratulations (and Chloe still couldn't get over the fact that she could hear her now) and when she looked back, Beca was gone. Walking along with the girls, she reached the bottom of the steps and searched the crowd of people for that familiar brunette who had successfully stolen her heart.

And there she was.

With Jesse.

Kissing.

Oh.


End file.
